The Andhra Pradesh government’s decision to introduce English medium compulsorily in all the state-run schools from 2020-21 academic year received a setback with Supreme Court on Thursday refusing to grant stay on the state high court’s verdict in this regard.
The bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and K M Joseph said it would look into the merits of the case and consider granting stay on the high court order after going through the counter-affidavits to be filed by the respondents. It posted the case to September 25 for further hearing.
The SC bench issued a notice on Andhra Pradesh government’s plea seeking to make English the medium of education in governmentrun schools. The SC bench sought response of Srinivas Guntipalli on whose plea the Andhra Pradesh High Court had stopped the implementation of the plan in government-run Telugu medium schools.
In April this year, the high court had set aside the order for government schools to convert the medium of instruction from Telugu to English. The state government argued that children are going to private schools because the English medium is not available in government schools. 95% of students and parents want English as the medium of instruction, it argued.
Meanwhile, YSRCP spokesman Dr. Kammela Sridhar told The Daily Guardian, “We are not abolishing Telugu medium. It’s mere false propaganda of opposition TDP. Every school is going to have Telugu subject and the introduction of English medium from the first class will make the child competitive enough globally. Our children can compete at national and international levels.”
“97% of parents in Andhra are in favour of the English medium. We are very much determined to introduce it. We hope the final judgment in the SC will be in our favour”, Sridhar added further.
Andhra Pradesh BJP leader Lanka Dinakar told The Daily Guardian, “Right from the beginning, we have been demanding to continue Telugu Medium as Mother Language in the government schools along with the English medium and people should have the freedom to opt their medium of education without any oppressive methods from the state government.”